Alan
Shapiro has become one of my favorite poets. The reason this has
happened is the honesty, candor,
and style with which he treats his subjects. This week's interview
focuses on an elegy he
wrote for his brother David, a Broadway performer.

The book
is titled SONG
AND DANCE: POEMS,
and chronicles the love the brothers shared as they dealt with the
diagnosis of inoperable
brain cancer David received in 1998. SONG AND DANCE: POEMS was
published by Houghton
Mifflin in 2002.

In 1997
Mr. Shapiro wrote a book titled VIGIL,
which was published by the University of Chicago Press
in 1997. VIGIL is the story of Alan's sister Beth's final four weeks
in a hospice, where she died
from breast cancer.

Our
interview took place at the University of the South in July, 2004. At
the time Mr. Shapiro was dealing with a measure of loss that few of us
will ever have to face. I found him to be full of
life, involved in a loving relationship, and totally available to his
students.

He
believes in the power
of poetry and in the power of love. It was an honor to interview him.
I hope you enjoy his work.
It is a beautiful tribute to a brother he was in love with.